Lisa Murkowski 'evolving' on gay marriage

Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she’s joined the ranks of those whose views are “evolving” on the issue of same-sex marriage.

“I think it’s important to acknowledge that there is a change afoot in this country in terms of how marriage is viewed,” the Alaska Republican told the Chugiak-Eagle River Star on Wednesday. “The term ‘evolving view’ has been perhaps overused, but I think it is an appropriate term for me to use.”

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Another Republican senator, Rob Portman of Ohio, last week said he was reversing course and announced his support for gay marriage after finding out that his college-age son is gay.

Murkowski has voted for constitutional amendments that define marriage as between one man and one woman. In October of 2010, she told a newspaper from the Anchorage Archdiocese, The Catholic Anchor: “I believe marriages should be legally defined as between one man and one woman. I have voted in support of efforts in the Senate to enact a Constitutional amendment that would have limited marriage to one man and one woman only.”

Murkowski suggested children played a part in her evolution on gay marriage.

“I’ve got two young sons who, when I ask them and their friends how they feel about gay marriage, kinda give me one of those looks like, ‘Gosh mom, why are you even asking that question?’” Murkowski told the River Star.

“We have so many issues in this country to focus on that worry us, that I question why there is such focus on the simple right of people to love whom they will,” she added, voicing her concern for bigger issues, like the sequestration, as opposed to being hung up on marriages.

However, the lawmaker also told the paper that her actions on the issue will remain in sync with that of her constituents in Alaska, who voted to ban same-sex marriages in 1998. “It may be that Alaska will come to revisit its position on gay marriage, and as a policymaker I am certainly reviewing that very closely,” she said.